When the bot gives up, do you reach a real person?
We put the AI support bots through the one moment that matters: the handoff to a human. And we quote what each really charges once you count the tickets a person actually solved.
The handoff test, 6 bots
price = published list, May 2026| Bot | Hands off cleanly? | Keeps the thread? | What it really costs | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Help Scouthuman-first inbox | Yes | Full thread | $50 / user / mo | Read → |
| Intercom Finper-resolution AI | Sometimes | Partial | $0.99 / resolution + seats | Read → |
| Zendesk AIagents add-on | Yes | Partial | $55 / agent + AI | Read → |
| Tidio LyroSMB chat | Sometimes | Loses it | from $29 / mo | Read → |
| Crispstartup bundle | Yes | Full thread | $45 / mo flat | Read → |
| Chatbasecustom GPT bot | No native | Loses it | from $40 / mo | Read → |
Verdicts are ours, from each vendor's published pricing and real, attributed user reports. The green row is who we'd pick for a small team that wants a clean escalation.
The handoff test, in one chat
A bot that says "I can't help with that" and drops you into a queue with no history is the thing support teams switch to escape.
This is the pass we want to see: the bot admits the limit, hands off, and the human already has the thread.
How we score the handoff →Start reading
The questions support teams actually ask before they switch.
What Intercom Fin really costs
The $0.99-per-resolution model, the "assumed resolved" gotcha that bills you even when a human ends up helping, and the cheaper paths.
Read → BudgetCheapest Intercom alternatives for a startup
The genuinely affordable options, real pricing for Crisp, Tidio, Chatbase and more, compared honestly, not a coupon list.
Read → SwitchingIntercom Fin alternatives, ranked by escalation
An independent comparison, not a vendor listicle, by handoff quality, pricing model, and who each one actually fits.
Read →